Ghost of the Past
by Sunlight Summoner
Summary: Annabeth wakes up one day, only to find herself situated in the bustling streets of Manhattan. Dazed and remembering nothing of her past, she is sure she is being followed, by a man with raven black hair and sea green eyes. Seeing him brings back slight recollections of her past, flashbacks that give no indication as to whether the man is a friend or foe.
1. Lost in Manhattan

**Date: April 15, 2014**

**Full Summary: Ever since Annabeth woke up to find herself on the busy streets of Manhattan, dazed and remembering nothing of her past, a mysterious stranger has been shadowing her every move. Even when she can't see him, she can feel his presence, a feeling that never wanes. Every time she gets a glimpse of him; a flash of raven black, a sliver of sea-green, she finds herself grasping snippets of a memory; a memory hidden deep in the depths of her mind. A ghostly remembrance of the past, a past she is trying, aching, to recall. Is this man, this stalker, a foe? The one who stole her memories? Or is he a friend, a person there to help? Percabeth. AU. **

** I read Aqua's [of The Legendary Olympians] fanfic "Factions", and this idea sorta...came? Don't kill me, Aqua. *Dies* Your fanfic was just inspirational for me. ene**

**Note: Italics are flashbacks. Or dreams. You'll be able to tell; I'll make it clear as to which one it is.**

**I would like to apologize in advance to those I may offend in the duration of this fanfic.**

**Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize, I do not own. Credit to Troller RR.**

* * *

Chapter One

_She was running away from it all. The men holding guns and clad in black, the sneering passerby, the nagging voice inside her head that told her she was a despicable human being; a disgrace to the human kind. She just wanted to get away from it all. She scoured into the building, tearing up the stairs, climbing, higher and higher and higher. She didn't know where she was, nor did she care. She just needed to escape. _

_No thoughts were in her mind, just the words 'escape, run, leave' going in constant repeat through her head._

_Suddenly, the broken record of 'escape, run, leave' whipped out of her mind, leaving her breathless. She looked around, thoughts clouding her head, one question standing out like the light against the dark. How did she get here? _

_She was standing on a balcony, climbing onto the railing. Why was she doing this? What had gotten into her? _

_She realized she was being a coward, leaving the world behind, as if that would solve her problems. _

_No, she wasn't being a coward. Sometimes the best solution in life was simply ending it. Peace would be brought to everyone. No one would care, everyone would be brought relief. Besides, no one cared about her. Everyone loathed her. For what, she didn't know. What had she ever done? _

_But... ending her life this quickly would be insignificant. She would've done nothing to help the human civilization. He father had, before he had begun neglecting her, told her that everyone needed to do something to help the world, as a tribute to God. She still hadn't done that helpful something._

_Conflict surging through her whole being, her every fiber, she turned around, as if looking for an answer, and climbed down. The men with the guns were closing in. She was trapped, with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. _

_The onlookers were jeering, sneering, their faces a mask of utter and complete hatred. Their eyes said they were willing to dispose of the helpless, the insignificant. Her. _

_That was all the reassurance she needed. She scurried back onto the railing. The onlookers began cheering, some even chanting, "Jump! Jump! Jump!" _

_She tensed her legs, preparing to jump. _

_One clear voice rose above the chaos. "Annabeth! No! Stop, please!" The voice sounded horrified. "I love you! Please, stop this!"_

_She found herself surprised beyond belief. No one loved her. That person must've been lying. _

_She released. "ANNABETH!" The voice cried out. She could almost hear the tears protruding from his tone._

_She couldn't place who the voice belonged to. After that, all she could hear was the wind rushing through her ears. She looked down. The sea was coming closer, and closer, and an alarmingly fast rate. At her speed, hitting the water would be the same as concrete. No one would survive the fall. She would become another nameless, unfound body in the sea. _

_She hit. The water pressure was thundering. Her ears popped simultaneously. Her fall wasn't clean. The water felt like concrete, slamming into her skin. Possibly tearing it off in some areas. _

_The moment her body hit the water, her world became dark. She could hear nothing, feel nothing. Everything was gone. She was at peace._

_Oo0oO_

_She stirred, and opened her eyes groggily. Was she dead? Was this heaven? _

_No, if she went somewhere, she would've gone to Hell. No one liked her, let alone loved her. She was an outsider, a disgrace. _

_She believed that even God must hate her. After all, she hadn't helped the world in any way. _

_"I see you are awake." Someone said, his voice deep and formal, the sound reverberating through the room. _

_She winced. Why did he have to speak so loudly? _

_"Am I dead?" The words slipped out before she could stop them._

_"No. You almost were when we found you, though. It took quite a bit to fix you up. Your heart wasn't beating, and you needed some skin grafting and organ replacements." Her vision cleared slightly, revealing a completely stereotypical doctor, from the glasses all the way to the stethoscope slung around his neck._

_"Why...would you save me? Why didn't you let me just die? Couldn't you tell I wanted that?"_

_The doctor looked at her solemnly, before saying, "No one really wants to kill themself. They just, at the time, believe it's the best way out. We saved you from such a fate, as we believed you deserved it."_

_"Deserved what?"_

_"A second chance at life."_

* * *

Annabeth's eyes shot open, and she jolted awake. A... a dream? She shook her head, trying to shake away the remnants of sleep. Where was she? The area didn't seem familiar to her. She scanned the skyline, trying to find anything, _anything_ that would give any indication as to where she currently resided. Overhead, the Empire State Building stood up tall, proud against the rising sun.

Wait... Empire State Building? Her geographic knowledge instantly kicked in. She was in New York. Manhattan, New York. How did she get here? This wasn't her hometown. Speaking of which, what _was_ her hometown?

How could she not remember where that was? Was it Oklahoma? Nevada?

Panicking, she sifted through her memories, grasping for any clues to her hometown's location. Nothing.

Maybe her dream would tell her where she lived?

She wracked her mind, trying to recall her dream's details. Still, nothing showed. The last remnants of her dream had long since floated away, leaving her feeling empty.

She bit her lip and stood up, deciding to ask around, in order to find information. What the information would help with, she didn't know. Perhaps finding her home?

She stopped the nearest person to her, a man who sat in a wheelchair and seemed to be in his mid-fifties. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know..." She trailed off, not exactly sure how to complete her question.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Are you lost, my dear?"

She nodded helplessly.

"Do you have a guardian? If so, who? I can try to help you find them."

"Yes, I do have a guardian." She thought. She wasn't sure. A fuzzy image of a doctor came to mind. "He... wears glasses. I think." She couldn't tell.

"I'm terribly sorry, dear, but you'll have to be more specific than that. Many people wear glasses, as you know."

She nodded meekly. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. Take your time, think up a good description."

She searched through her mind. Everything seemed fuzzy. She could remember no events that lead up to her finding herself on the streets of Manhattan.

In a sudden rush of realization, a fact finally hit home. She... couldn't remember her past. She could remember nothing. Nothing at all. Just fragments of her dream were owned by her. And each fragment was quickly diminishing, moving just out of her grasp.

She had read about experiences like this, though never thought she would have to feel it herself. Amnesia. She had amnesia. A severe case of memory loss.

"Amnesia." She muttered, mostly to herself. However, the man beside her heard, his keen ears sharp.

"Amnesia? Oh, dear. Do you remember where you live, at least?" He asked, searching her eyes for any bit of remembrance.

"No. As hard as I try, I can't." She said, feeling hopeless.

The man was quiet for a moment. Thoughtful. "My name is Mr. Brunner. Does that rig any memory in you?"

"I'm sorry, but no."

"Well, do you remember your name?"

"That much I remember. I'm Annabeth Chase."

"A pleasure to meet you. Ms. Chase. Do you remember anything else?"

"Yes, but only facts gained from my limitless reading. Nothing of importance for this situation, though."

Mr. Brunner nodded his head. "I'm terribly sorry, but I have never dealt with this type of situation before. However, I can do my best. There is a hospital a little ways down. I'm sure they could help much more than I ever could."

She smiled, and thanked him for his kindness and help.

He waved his arm in a silent gesture that said, 'My pleasure'. "I am sure we will meet again, Ms. Chase, in the events to come. See you then."

He inclined his head and she waved goodbye. They parted ways.

Annabeth walked in the direction of the hospital, following Mr. Brunner's instructions. When she reached the hospital with little problem, her hand hovered over the doorknob. An ever so consistent voice kept telling her to do everything by herself, to not let anyone else help; and its words were starting to get to her.

If Mr. Bruner couldn't help her, who could? He already seemed as knowledgable as they came; she doubted anyone could help her more than he did. And besides, when the hospital's employees asked her questions regarding her past, how would she be able to respond? She couldn't remember any of it. She felt uneasy and uncomfortable, like she was a deer in headlights.

After contemplating whether or not to go in for a while, she realized that the source of her uneasiness was from the fact that, despite her need for help, she didn't want any. She was an independent young lady, who wanted to fix things on her own.

'And besides...' She realized, feeling a certain emptiness in her heart. 'I've never had someone help me before. I feel like I've... always been on my own.'

She took her hand off of the hospital door's handle, and walked away, contemplating how to continue her search for home.

Her mind drifted, entering uncharted waters, and asking questions she never thought of before.

What if... she didn't want to return home? What if she wasn't wanted there? What if she had found herself on the streets of Manhattan for a reason?

"If so, what would the reason be?" She muttered. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her, jerking her closer.

"What's a pretty woman doing here, roaming the streets alone? Surely you have an escort of some sort?" A man's voice rasped.

'Gang.' She thought, finding herself at the mouth of an alley way with no recollection of how she got there. She remembered reading about gangs. Assertiveness and confidence; she needed to show him that she was the one in charge.

She looked him in the eye as calmly as possible, and said, "Yes, I do have a guide. In fact, he's right over there." She said, pointing to a random stranger who just happened to walk by.

He glanced at her, then glanced at the man, and thankfully decided to play along.

"Oh, Callie, there you are! I've been looking all over for you! You should know better than to roam alone without telling me first. C'mon, it's time to go now!" He called out, saying a name at random.

"It's a good thing you found me, Mr. Fred. I was beginning to worry." She looked up at the gang man and smiled sweetly. "Thanks for caring for me, mister. But as you can see, I need to go now."

The man, looking extremely irked, grabbed her by the collar. "Listen, _miss_ -"

"No, _you_ listen." She cut him off, kicking him in the gluteus maximus.

He let her go, grimacing.

"Thank you, kind sir. But I need to go now." She took the stranger's hand and ran.

"I'll never forget this!" He yelled after her, rage tearing through his voice.

"Neither will I." She murmured in response. Then, she turned her head, and told the helpful stranger, "Thank you, kind sir."

The man smiled, blue eyes radiant. "No problem. My pleasure in helping beauties like you. The name's Connor. Connor Stoll. Call me if you need me." He said, giving her a business card.

They shook hands, and allowed their lives to lead them elsewhere.

As Annabeth walked, she felt a prickling sensation on her neck. She was being watched. By who?

She glanced around, looking for a shadow, a silhouette, anything.

What she saw startled her, jogging her memory. A flash of raven colored hair and sea-green eyes before the figure disappeared into the crowd.

An image of a present, wrapped in gray and tied with silver lining, flashed through her head.

She was sure that she had seen him before, maybe even knew him in the past. But from where, she couldn't remember.

* * *

**Please please please review! It's a six letter word that makes my day! **

**This question has been asked before, and I would like to get some answers. You don't have to answer if you don't want to, though. Based on my writing, how old do you think I am?**

**Lame Excuse: If you find any spelling errors, spacing misusage, or grammar (its, it's) mistakes, blame my iPad. I wrote this on that. And you know how spellcheck can be... *Sighs* Also, if you find that I switch from first person to third person without warning, please tell me. I find it irritating when others do that, and I'm not much for hypocrisy.**

**This is a new style of writing for me, with all the figurative language scattered around. Do you think this is worth continuing?**


	2. Offered and Accepted

**Date: May 10, 2014**

**Omigods, guys! Thanks so much for the supportive and nice reviews! You have no idea how great they made me feel. It was my first go at an independent multi-chapter story; I didn't think anyone would like it. But you guys did! You guys summoned sunlight for me! :) Now I shall stop sounding sappy, and just move onto the disclaimer. But seriously, thanks! :D**

**Disclaimer: I... am not a troller. Actually, I am. But let's not get to that. My name isn't Rick, so yeah. No own. :(**

* * *

Chapter Two

She had jumped. She had actually jumped. Even when he screamed for her, _begged_ for her to stop, she had jumped. And now she was gone.

As he watched her plummet towards the ocean at a sickening pace, he had sobbed. Sobbed like the weak, pathetic creature he was. Sobbed because he couldn't save her. Sobbed because his world was quickly diminishing before his eyes. Sobbed because she _was_ his world. He sobbed so hard he knew his heart was cracking from the pressure. He was an insignificant little thing, curled on the ground, howling in a fetal position. But no one cared.

Onlookers glanced at him, rolling their eyes and walking away, deeming the action of the day over. But it wasn't for him. It was far from over.

A splat sounded down below. No, that couldn't be her. He rushed to the edge of the railing and looked down, the world he saw blurred with tears.

Blood billowed out, and he saw a blob of honey blond, fanned out against the churning waves. At the sight of this, he felt a tugging in his throat, a sick feeling in his stomach. Bile rose up in his throat, the taste unpleasant. He threw up, and continued to cry, sobs wracking his entire body. He was a stinky, horribly mess, but he didn't care, because nothing could compare to what had just happened.

The grief that teared through his body.

The knowledge that she wouldn't listen to anyone, not even him.

He had loved her; she was his, and he was hers. And now she was gone.

Before she jumped, she had looked back at him. Just once. Emotions hurled through her eyes; sadness, relief, care, unsaid apologies, love.

His eyes widened, a flashback from the other day overtaking him.

Oo0oO

_"No matter what happens, remember that I love you, alright? I love you with all my heart." She had said, her gray eyes sincere and truthful._

_He nodded. "Never will I forget. Ever. You're mine, and I'm yours. Nothing can tear us apart." He knew he didn't sound like his regular, joking self, but he had to pronounce the truth._

_She searched his eyes, gray eyes calculating, and finding nothing but truth. She averted her gaze. "Y-Yeah, nothing at all." _

_She sounded disbelieving. "I'm serious. Nothing can, and nothing will. We were meant to be, destined from the start."_

_"Star-crossed lovers. Like Romeo and Juliet." She muttered._

_"Except our love story won't be a tragedy."_

_"Do you really believe that?" She looked up. There was something different in her eyes this time, something that broke him and made him feel the need to comfort her._

_He put his arms around her and placed his lips against her cheek, kissing her softly. "With all my heart."_

_She nodded then, moving her face slightly to the side so that they were lip to lip. _

_"Forever and always in love." She murmured against his lips._

_"With each other." He added._

_She pulled away and gazed at him earnestly. "Of course."_

_And then they had bid each other goodnight, walking apart._

Oo0oO

Now he knew why she had been acting off, avoiding his gaze. She had been planning her departure all along, and had never told him. He knew he should've felt angered after the realization, but try as he might, he couldn't feel anything. Anything but love. And an empty hole in his heart that she had left behind.

A teenage girl, a teenage boy. Brought together because of a horribly cruel twist of fate. They were star-crossed lovers. Never meant to be. A tragic love story, worse than Romeo and Juliet.

* * *

The dove chirped in her hands, mournfully grazing at its wing. The moment its beak had contact with the wing, it pulled back, obviously in pain.

Annabeth gazed at it sympathetically. Slowly, she stood up, careful to keep her fingers from brushing against the injured wing.

"I've got to give you help." She whispered to it looking around.

She waved down a kind looking young woman who wore choppy braids of an auburn glow. The woman stopped, kaleidoscope-like eyes gazing at Annabeth quizzically.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, please. This dove; I found it fatally injured on the streets. Do you happen to know anywhere that can heal it? I hate seeing it in pain." Annabeth said hopefully.

In a suspenseful moment of silence, the lady looked down at the dove in her hands, then back up into Annabeth's eyes.

The lady's eyes suddenly dilated, and she squealed. "Omigods, yes! I happen to be the head veterinarian at the local pet care center! And I absolutely _love_ treating doves. They're my favorite kind of bird. Here, follow me. I'll lead you to my office."

Annabeth smiled, following the kind woman, listening to her bubbly chatter.

"Oh! I just realized how rude I've been, not introducing myself. Hello, Piper McLean here at your service." She pulled out a business card and handed it to Annabeth. Piper smiled, revealing a set of straight white teeth.

"I'm Annabeth." Annabeth smiled back, praying that her smile wouldn't look withered compared to the shining star beside her.

They continued their trek to Piper's office.

Oo0oO

"And this here is my office." Piper said, unlocking the door and holding it open for her.

Annabeth walked in, taking in her surroundings. The office was tidy, stacks of paper organized and stacked neatly along the walls. A stray paperclip laid on the floor.

Piper gasped and quickly picked the paperclip up, placing it in an elaborate paperclip holder. "So sorry about the mess. If you'll come this way into the hospital room."

She lead Annabeth into a secluded area, an area devoid of any dirt. Piper's heels clicked across the sparkling floor as she swiftly took out a Kleenex, wiping down the table.

"We are a nonprofit group that helps any animal brought to us. Here, let me take the dove." Annabeth held it out, obeying requests. Cautiously, Piper took the dove, careful not to touch the injury.

The dove was placed on the table. It seemed to sense the two women's kindness, and didn't fight to leave. It tilted it's head to the side, watching them curiously.

"Awww, aren't you the cutest thing!" Piper doted, taking out bandages and vaccinations.

The bird, seeing the needles, shied away, cooing fearfully.

"Don't worry. This won't hurt a bit. It'll only take a second."

The bird seemed to understand, and hopped closer. It stood there stiffly, awaiting the syringe.

Piper smiled reassuringly, walking closely towards it.

The dove closed its eyes.

"Ready?" The bird nodded curtly, "One... Two... Thr-"

There was a knock on the door.

"Annabeth, could you get it, please?"

Annabeth nodded, striding to the door. She placed her hand on the doorknob, feeling jumpy. Was this someone she knew? Oh schist. Could it be the gang man from earlier? At this thought, she hesitated, hand on the handle. Biting her lip, she tore the door open. When she saw who it was, she sighed in relief, not recognizing the person.

There at the doorway, a man stood. He had a fine-tuned body. Crystalline blue eyes stared down at her, blond hair rustling in nonexistent wind. A slight scar on his upper lip became present as he smiled. "Hey, Pipes. I see you have a visitor."

Piper sighed playfully. "Can't you see I'm busy? This cutie here is awaiting treatment."

The dove seemed to glare as it nodded in agreement.

The man chuckled. "Go ahead. I won't interfere."

Quickly and gently, Piper injected the medication, the dove flinching slightly. Wiping off the excess, she took the bandage and tied it off around the wing.

"There, better?" She asked lovingly.

The bird didn't reply, moving its bandaged wing slowly. After a while of this, it looked up into Piper's eyes, and seemed to smile.

"Good. You'll need to stay here for a few weeks; we need to make sure it's not infected." Piper turned to Annabeth. "This cutie will be safe and sound. Before you go home, would you like to come to Starbucks with us? Our treat."

Annabeth smiled. "Oh no, it's fine. I don't want to cause you two any trouble. You two deserve time together."

Piper laughed, her voice like tinkling chimes. "It's fine. Jason and I get way too much time together as it is."

The man - Jason was his name - raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in denial.

Piper walked up and flicked him in the shoulder lightly. "Oh come on, you know it's true."

"Yeah." Jason smiled. "I was acting."

"As I already knew."

They pulled each other close, kissing lightly, sweetly.

Annabeth stood there awkwardly, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment. "Um..."

The two pulled away quickly, looking at her in surprise, as if they had forgotten she was there.

"Terribly sorry about that. So, to the coffee shop?" Piper asked.

"To the coffee shop." Jason replied.

"I wasn't asking you."

Jason rolled his eyes, leading Piper out. "You coming?"

Annabeth nodded. "If you two insist."

"We insist." They said in unison.

Oo0oO

The threesome entered Starbucks, the bell chiming, signaling their entrance.

They quietly sat at a table near the window, "For the view," according to Piper.

After placing their possessions there to mark their territory, they filed into line.

"Would you like a WiFi access code to go with that?" The cashier asked.

"No thanks."

"Okay." She typed something into her computer. "Receipt?"

"Sure. For the record."

Cue a smile. "Enjoy your drink. Hope you come back for more."

When she began walking away with her java, the cashier called her back.

"Wait, so you're paying later?"

"Yup." Or, more accurately, not at all. Piper had forcefully insisted on paying. And, reluctantly, she had agreed.

She sat down in her respected seat. Piper poked her in the cheek playfully. "So I got that your name's Annabeth. But other than that, you're a blonde stranger to me. Tell me, where do you work? I think I might like to drop in some time. You know, give you a surprise visit."

At this, Annabeth panicked slightly. She felt her heart beat a little faster. "Um..."

"What's wrong?" Piper sounded truly concerned.

"I... don't have a job."

"You don't? How do you pay for your living quarters, then?"

"I plan on getting a job soon." She bit her lip.

"You're lying." Piper stated matter-of-factly.

"No I'm not."

At this, Jason stepped in. "Pipes can always tell when someone's lying."

Annabel's took a deep breath. For some reason, she felt compelled to tell Piper and Jason the whole truth as she looked into their earnest and truthful eyes.

"I... think I'm having an amnesia attack. I only know that my name's Annabeth, and that's it. I don't know where I'm from, or who I was in the past. I'm lost." She hated herself for her slightly wavering voice.

Piper got out of her chair and walked to Annabeth's side, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting and warm embrace. "Oh, you poor thing."

Annabeth felt herself falling into the hug, but caught herself and pulled up. She didn't need or want their pity. They had more important things to care for. "No, no, it's fine. I'm fine. I'll figure this all out."

"I know you're strong enough to do so, but I won't let you do it all alone. Jason and I'll be with you every step of the way. You're our friend now. We care about what happens. Tell you what: we'll have you bunk in with us in our apartment until you find your home. But even after that, we'll have you know that you'll always have a home with us."

The tone of Piper's voice was so caring, so honest, that Annabeth found her mouth moving for her, the response slipping out before she could stop it. "Yes."

The moment the word fell from her lips, a man in an overly large sized beige-colored coat walked past, saying something quietly enough for only her to hear, sending a chill down her spine. "You shouldn't have agreed."

She whipped her head around, but the man was gone. The man of sea-green eyes had vanished, leaving her staring at the spot where he had disappeared, an eyebrow quirked in wonder and fear.

* * *

**PERCY'S FLASHBACK WAS SO FLUFFY FOR ME TO WRITE AND AGH. IT SOUNDED FAKE AND TERRIBLE EVEN ON MY HANDS. But meh, I try. Oh, and Jason and Piper will be less OOC later on... I think...**

** Woohoo! An update earlier than the expected update date I wrote on my profile! Me proud. Oh, sorry for not updating for like a month. I went a couple of weeks without WiFi, and I write one google drive, so yeahhhhhh... Sorryyyyyyyy.**

**Review if you'd like :) They are loved. A lot. Like, tons of hugs and kisses towards them. :D**


	3. Fairytales are Real

**Date: June 5, 2014**

**Hai guys! New chappie! Yayyyyy... Anyways, Percy's little blurb at the beginnings are always so much easier to write. I usually write them before finishing Annabeth's part from the previous chappie. So if I don't update for a while, it's probably because I'm lacking inspiration for Annabeth. Alright, let's get this movin'!**

**Disclaimer: As we all know, Rick owns it. He's the one making all that money.**

* * *

_There she was. That weird girl everyone gossiped about. Rumor had it that she studied - for fun. He found her strange and mysterious, and not in a good way. She sat on a bench, cross-legged with a book sitting opened on her lap, although her attention was focused elsewhere. She was staring at a squirrel, gray eyes as calculating as ever, honey blond hair swaying with the wind in wispy curls. With one hand, she covered an eye. A few seconds later, she moved her hand sideways to cover her other eye. She paused there, then moved her hand to cover the opposite eye again. Attention fixed on the squirrel, she continuously repeated the process. Watching her, he snorted and rolled his eyes. What a weirdo._

_"What the heck are you doing?" He asked sharply. "Is one of your eyes broken or something?"_

_He heard her breath hitch, as if he had scared her. Calming herself, she turned to him and said, "No. I'm just seeing the squirrel in different perspectives. We humans have binocular-like vision, where an image as a whole is shown from two different sides. I wanted to see the squirrel in both ways, separately."_

_He was silent for a moment; he never would've thought of it that way. When he responded, it came out hushed, as if he was scared. "Oh." _

_She nodded, as if satisfied. Turning away from him, she said, "Isn't the world fascinating?"_

_"Nah. It's more like a beat up dump filled with problems we humans have caused." He stated, his voice a boring drawl, reciting what his father had taught him from birth - the father he hated with every fiber his soul._

_"Well, I guess us humans have fractured the world a bit -"_

_"A bit?! No, we've crushed it. We've hurt it. And there's nothing we can do to fix that. Nothing at all." He didn't know what had caused this outburst. Maybe he was just releasing the anger towards mankind that had built up over the years._

_"Take a look around you." She replied. He looked away, glaring at the ground. "No, seriously, take a look around. What do you see?"_

_"I see people begging for money. I see gangs picking on people. I see the harsh conditions that people have cast upon themselves."_

_"No, I mean, look at the good qualities."_

_"There are none to see."_

_"Oh really?" She raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Let me tell you what I see, then. I see children laughing and playing. I see clear blue skies. I see fluffy white clouds rolling over the horizon. I see cheerful adults conversing with each other."_

_"Optimist." He spat._

_"Pessimist." She retorted, a half smile gracing her face. Something light fluttered in his stomach. "But there's one thing that stands out to me most."_

_"And what's that? The sun shining too bright in the sky?"_

_"No. Of course not. The sun plays a very important role in our environment. Without it, we'd die. No. The thing that stands out to me most is the happiness. The happiness that radiates. The happiness that conquers and outweighs all dark thoughts. Our savior. Happiness."_

_"Ah, the cheese, it kills." He muttered sarcastically._

_The girl shot him a glare, and shook her head. "Well _I _happen to find it motivating."_

_"Sure."_

_"No, really."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Would you still be happy if I did this?" He stooped down smoothly, and picked up the book. Before she could react, he ran for his life. _

_"Hey! Give it back! You didn't even mark my page!" She cried out, extremely irritated. "You better not lose that! Or drop it, for that matter!" By now, she had jumped up and was running after him. _

_Oh gosh, she was fast. He pumped his legs, trying to force himself to go faster. _

_"Seriously! It's for my recreation!"_

_He smirked, slowing down slightly. "Who reads 'Pride and Prejudice' for fun?"_

_"Me!" The book was snatched out of his hands. But... how?! How had she managed to catch up to him so quickly? No one else he knew could so much as keep up to him, let alone catch up to him! _

_"H-How?" Smooth, real smooth. Stuttering at the worst of times. _

_"I have my ways." She replied curtly, turning on her heel and beginning to storm off._

_"Wait!" He called, grabbing her wrist. Almost instantly, he let go, because of something electric that had jolted between them. Maybe she felt it too, because she flinched back, rubbing her wrist._

_"Yeah?"_

_"I never caught your name." _

_"No one cares for it. It doesn't matter." She averted his gaze._

_"Please?"_

_"And why would _you _care?" She asked bitterly._

_"Because I do."_

_"Yeah, right." She turned around, and took a step away._

_"No, stay. Please. What's your name?"_

_She turned to face him, and stared into his eyes, gray against sea-green. Her gaze was calculating, and he felt his face burn slightly. Finally, she sighed._

_"Alright, alright. It's your social status being brought down. Not my nonexistent one. It's Annabeth. There, happy?"_

_"Annabeth." He repeated, trying it on his tongue. A warm feeling bubbled inside. "Yeah, thanks." He smiled. "It's a really pretty name. The name of an angel."_

_"Okay, sure. Thanks for flirting with me. Bye." She walked off quickly, but not before he caught a glance of her blushing face. _

_He watched her leave, his eyes distant. Thoughtful. _

_Suddenly, something hard hit him on the back. Laughter sounded behind him. Jumping slightly, he turned, glaring. To his surprise, he saw Grover, laughing hysterically and clutching his sides. _

_"Hey man, not cool."_

_"What is it? Did I scare you?"_

_"No. I honestly just didn't think you had it in you."_

_"Ouch. That hurt. Anyways, the social media will have a hoot after I tell them you were seen hanging out with that loser!"_

_"She's not a loser. She's actually pretty cool once you get to know her."_

_"And _you _got to know her?"_

_"Well, no."_

_"Burned!" _

_He hardened his glare. "Don't you even _dare _telling anyone about this, Underwood. Don't you freaking _dare_."_

_Grover shrunk under his stone-hard gaze, taking out a piece of aluminum and munching on it - a strange habit of his when nervous. "Y-Yeah. Y-You got i-it."_

_"Good." He brushed off his shoulders, glad the matter was over and done with. Well, not quite, apparently. Freaking Underwood and his freaking nosiness._

_"Do you have a thing for her?"_

_"Shut the Hades up." He replied, his voice steady and even - or, as calm as he could manage, anyways._

_"O-Okay, okay. W-Well your m-mom wants you h-home. L-Let's go."_

_"Yeah, lead the way." Allowing his thoughts to lead him elsewhere, he absentmindedly followed Grover home, his mind unable to leave the subject of the girl with the honey blond curls and stormy gray eyes._

Oo0oO

Every fairytale has a beginning. That was theirs. Unfortunately, not all fairytales have a happy ending.

* * *

"And this here's our complex. It's not the biggest, but it's roomy." Piper said, leading Annabeth into her and Jason's apartment: an alcove that curved in an 'L' shape. "I'm going to get us some tea. Jason, you show Annabeth where she's going to sleep." With that, Piper bustled off in the direction of the kitchen.

She and Jason simply stood there, allowing an awkward silence to stretch between them.

"So, um..." Jason scratched the back of his neck. "You're bed is over there. Follow me."

He led her over to a nook in the corner of the 'L'. In a cranny, a bed resided, built into the wall, neat and taken care of, a pillow sitting freshly plumped at the head.

"Pipes takes care of it. She has OCD. That's why this place is so clean. It would be a whirlwind if I lived here alone. Grateful for her housekeeping." Jason commented, seeing her wondrous look.

"Dang right, you better be." The two jumped slightly at Piper's sudden conversation input. She smiled at their faces. Priceless. "So, what do you think?" She asked Annabeth.

"This place is amazing, thank you so much for allowing me to bunk in with you two."

"Our pleasure. Now follow me into the kitchen. Tea's hot on the stove."

At the dining table, Jason raised his tea cup. " Although in my hand is not a wineglass, I would like a toast. To Annabeth." He raised his cup higher.

Piper gladly clinked hers with his. When Annabeth didn't raise hers, Piper beckoned her over with a welcoming gesture.

"To...me?" Although she couldn't remember her past, she was pretty sure no one had ever been so kind to her. Except for... a boy with... with... strikingly sea-green eyes.

"Yes, to you, silly. C'mon, Annabeth." Piper smiled jokingly.

Annabeth, reluctant and unsure, slowly rose her cup and tapped it against both Piper's and Jason's.

Jason grinned. "Welcome to the family, Annabeth!"

Annabeth smiled back at her two newfound friends, glad to have finally found a place where people cared.

Oo0oO

The stars shined brightly on the Manhattan skyline. The curtains that framed the windows of mahogany shimmered gently in the light evening breeze filtering through the window, which had been left slightly ajar.

Moonlight flooded into the L as well, illuminating the house in that entrancing way only moonlight can do.

"There's stars tonight." Piper stated, looking slightly bewildered.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Stars are a rare occurrence here at Manhattan because of the light and air pollution." Piper explained, pausing in thought. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Look, Annabeth, the stars are welcoming you home."

Annabeth nodded. "Yes, I suppose they are."

Piper smiled warmly in return, propping up the window in the slightest to allow the soothing sound of night flow in. "I'm going to that other room over there to let you sleep. If you need anything, feel free to walk down over there and ask at anytime." She pointed her finger at one of doors, different as it was painted in a style and coloring much like Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Annabeth dipped her head to show that she understood.

"Goodnight, Annabeth!" Piper walked off, closing the Starry Night door behind her.

"Goodnight, Piper. Goodnight, Jason. Sweet dreams." Annabeth whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

She turned the light that shined onto her little crevice off, the moonlight now the only light in the room.

Suddenly, the moonlight intensified, beckoning her over to the window. Annabeth followed the pulling feeling, placing her elbows on the windowsill and staring at the nighttime sky. A constellation she was positive wasn't there before now shown in the sky. It was a huntress of silver circlets and braided hair smiling down upon her—yes, smiled. Constellations could smile, apparently—waving at her like a long lost friend.

Annabeth simply stared, not able to figure out how this constellation was moving. As she watched, it shot an arrow—a falling star. Below, some movement caught her eye. The dark silhouette of a figure with windblown hair jumped up and caught the shooting star before it reached the ground. Not believing her eyes, she blinked and shook her head. When her sight reemerged, the figure was gone, leaving only a gust of wind and a shutter of leaves and branches in its wake.

Oo0oO

Percy stood outside her door, unsure if it was her or not. It had seemed too good to be true, when he had finally spotted the golden princess curls sitting atop the person he loved.

It was only when a chill of wind swept through his spine that he realized he was shaking—though not from the cold, but from nerves. He had to get a closer look to make sure it really was her. And to do that, he would have to be a creep and enter the alcove; or the L, whatever.

He looked at the flashing piece of star in his hand. It reminded him much of a glow stick, although the difference was that it would be a permanently glowing remembrance of him—not that she remembered him at all. The notion sent a pang in his heart, making him want to curl up on the spot and cry his heart out. But he swallowed his grief inside, flushing it out with relief that she was still alive—if it _was _her and his mind wasn't playing tricks on him, of course. He shook his head to clear away the doubt and worry, continuing his search for an opening in the house.

Finally, he stumbled upon an opened window that was slightly propped open to allow the fresh breeze from the evening inside. Quietly, he stooped lower to see through the window, in order to make sure he was going into the right room, as he was very aware of how much of a stalker he was currently being.

'Jackpot,' he thought, smiling victoriously to himself, even adding in a fist-pump for good measure.

With the grace of an acrobat, he swung his foot onto the other side's windowsill, planning to enter with a crouch, hunch, under, through motion. Then he realized that wouldn't work. He decided to try a different tactic: sticking his head under and pulling the rest of his body through.

'I got this,' he assured himself, cracking his knuckles and rolling his head. Some shoulder stretches later, he was ready.

He stuck his head under the windowsill and began to tediously pull his body over to the other side as well. A few strains, slippings of very colorful language, and what Percy considered near-death experiences later, he was heaving from effort and propped against the wall. After he had finished berating himself for his lack of finesse, he got up and looked for the sleeping beauty.

...And there she was. Bundled up in soft blankets, her golden ringlets curled on the feathery down pillow. She was smiling. Peaceful.

It enlightened his heart, knowing she was happy. He slowly took out the starry floss and weaved into a bracelet the way Zoë taught him. Carefully, he moved the thread to spell out 'Wise Girl'.

Sparkling proudly (like Edward), he congratulated himself and crept over to Annabeth, kneeling down and taking her hand, careful not to wake her up. He took the bracelet and wrapped it around her wrist, intricately tying it off—even if it was, suffice to say, quite a bit knotty. Annabeth stirred, causing Percy to take a flying leap to the window, landing on its sill. He thought he heard some suspenseful music playing faintly in the background.

When he was sure Annabeth was definitely asleep, he whispered, "The ending of us will never come," before disappearing into the night with just one glance back.

* * *

**Alright, I can only say that I can solely blame procrastination for this. Sorry for not updating in so long! But right now, I'm feeling confident to say that the next update should be on June 30, 2014, even though I haven't started the next chapter yet xD. I'd like to thank all of my wonderful and amazing readers! Shout outs to:**

**henrie locker**

**Annabamf Chase**

**guest**

**Reese123**

**The Amazing Blue Lightning**

**Guest**

**PJO FOREVER**

**anthane**

**For reviewing! :D Thanks so so so much! I could never thank you guys enough for all of the support. Also, I have just one request before I sign off. If you're a guest, and you decide to review, please create a name for yourself so I can properly thank you! :)**

**Random fact: This is the first time I've updated with a chapter on a computer and not on a tablet more than a thousand miles (minimum) away. xD**

**Nike, out!**


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